Use of Anaerobic Digestate Inoculated with Fungi as a Soil Amendment for Soil Remediation: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aims to describe the current state of research on soil remediation utilizing digestates inoculated with fungi, as a cost-effective alternative. This study was performed according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and nine papers were finally selected for review. The application of digestates augments the soil microbial community in terms of bacterial strains, mycorrhizal colonization, and enzymes. Digestates inoculated with fungi have notable impacts on soil stabilization. Some authors reported an improvement of up to 100% in plant growth when using digestates. HM removal rates of 17% for Si, 40% for Cd, and up to 80% for Pb have been achieved. Antibiotics and PFCAs showed low or no accumulation. The biomass source used for anaerobic digestion has a very important impact on the resulting digestate’s quality and effect in soils: the use of cattle manure resulted in an increase in biomass yield from 9% up to 100% when compared to manure co-digested with organic wastes. The fungal strain, environmental conditions, and existing contaminants must be considered with respect to the specific practical application. These insights can contribute to the management of environmental risks and the prevention of negative impacts on human health, ecosystems, and the economy.